1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to the field of data processing and to computerized systems and methods for modeling processing procedures on business objects. More particularly, and without limitation, the invention relates to methods and systems for implementing a processing procedure on, for example, a complex business object without a process modeler having to master and/or use a technical modeling component.
2. Background Information
Business objects are hierarchically organized and complex structures that include components that may have widely varying types of properties. For this reason, data that is required in order to adequately describe a business object can be very large. Moreover, calculations that have to be carried out and that are based on information included in the data are very complex and time-consuming.
In most cases, properties of hierarchically classifiable components of a higher-ranking business object are in each case specializations of properties of correspondingly higher-ranking components, from which their respective value can be derived with a high degree of probability directly or at least explicitly from the value of the correspondingly higher-ranking components. Storage of this information in a complete data model requires a great deal of storage space and time. Calculations that are to be carried out on business objects, such as estimates, evaluations, or price determinations in which the business object itself is one of the complex business models described above, are generally complex and time-consuming. In particular, calculation mechanisms are based on a global calculation approach, in which all necessary information must provide a transparent method of calculation. However, such mechanisms often involve redundant calculation steps.
In addition, at component interfaces, an information requirement of a processing component is, as a rule, not known. Consequently, the component that requires a corresponding service and/or addresses a processing component is not able to file all the data at the optimum location for the processing, but is limited to supplying its state of knowledge as completely as possible but in a redundant-free manner.
Accordingly, systems and methods disclosed herein are directing to overcoming one or more of the above-referenced problems.